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The temperature was still in the upper eighties—who in their right mind would be wearing a sweatshirt?
The figure drew closer, and he could make out enough details to realize exactly who it was.
Idiot.
Chapter Six
What was she thinking coming out here? Alone? Yes, it was Utah, not Detroit or a back alley in Queens, but there was still a lot of illegal activity that went on. Dangerous activity.
Which she was going to discover from the look of the group of guys she was about to pass. They called something out to her, and she only tucked her head farther down, ignoring them. Not going to help her case.
He swung the car door open and climbed out, unsure of his plan, just keen on getting her out of harm’s way.
“Marguerite?” he shouted and headed toward her. She and everyone looked his way. “What the hell are you doing out here?” he shouted angrily and threw his hands up.
He could see Meredith’s uncertainty and after another moment’s hesitation, she reluctantly walked over. The group, seeing his approach, sniggered. Another car crept up to the curb, and their attention was diverted when a dark-haired girl leaned out the window, smiling. One of the guys strutted over to her car while the rest shuffled farther down the sidewalk.
In case any of the group was still watching, he made a show of gripping Meredith’s arm like a jealous boyfriend and drew her back toward the car. He’d save his real anger for once they were both safely inside.
She paused outside Bonnie’s passenger door and looked over at him in confusion. He climbed inside and waited for her to follow. She might actually have smiled before she opened the door and dropped into the seat. “This is an interesting upgrade from your previous ride.”
“I’m borrowing it.” He waited another moment then added with practiced patience that he didn’t feel, “Do you mind telling me what you think you were doing coming down here alone?”
“Excuse me?” she asked in her most haughty tone. “Am I missing something? Last I checked, I’m a competent adult and I can go anywhere I damn well please. The risk is mine. I might ask the same thing of you. Why is it okay for you to come down here alone and not me?”
“Seriously? You think you could have handled yourself with that group of kids if I hadn’t arrived? What would you have done, glared at them to death?”
“I have a Taser—if it became necessary. And it wouldn’t have. I can handle myself.”
“A Taser? Where the hell—” Realizing the argument was going nowhere, he took another tactic. “Do you remember promising me just a few hours ago that you would let me run this investigation? Because, if I’m not mistaken, you came down here alone to try and find Darcy. Without notifying me and potentially putting the investigation at risk.”
“Yes. I did, but…” She sighed and slid the hoodie off and looked out the window. Her voice turned resigned, not angry and defiant like he expected. “I went home and tried to sleep, but all I could think about was how my daughter could be somewhere crying, hurt, scared, and alone and needing me. I couldn’t sleep, and I couldn’t just stay home and do…nothing. I had to get out, and the only place I could think of going was the last place anyone saw her. Something that occurred to you, too, or you wouldn’t be here. Right?”
He let his anger, as short-lived as it was, go and nodded. “How about next time you decide to explore any new leads or possibilities, you still give me a call? You need to make sure you have someone who knows where you are if there’s trouble. Deal?”
She nodded. “So. What’s the plan? What are you camping out in this eyesore to see?” She unzipped the sweatshirt and slipped it off, revealing a long expanse of skin from her shoulders down to her lithe arms thanks to the minimal coverage of the top she’d chosen.
Is she even wearing a bra under that thing?
From the noticeable shaking as she pulled her arm through the last sleeve and tossed the jacket behind her, he was guessing not.
Hell. He should not be having these types of thoughts, and he certainly shouldn’t be having this physical reaction. To Meredith, of all people. He shifted uncomfortably in the seat.
What had she asked him?
Oh, right. Why he was here. “Thought I’d try and see if the squatter from earlier returned. Maybe they know or saw something.”
She nodded but didn’t say anything, and instead drew her cell phone from her pocket and stared down at it, as if willing it to ring. A breeze crossed through the car and played with the long dark strands of her hair, sending her intoxicating scent his way.
“Can we talk frankly? About what you think’s happened to my daughter?” she asked suddenly. “I can’t help but hold my breath when I turn on the news or pull up the internet, worried there’ll be a story about the body of a young woman being found. Murdered. If this were a case o-of someone who wanted to harm her, they would have had her for twenty-four hours now. Plenty of time t-to rape her and kill her.” Her voice was strained as she fell over the words, but she continued, “So now would be the time they’d likely dump her remains somewhere. Did I get that right?”
There was no reason to sugarcoat anything. Her imagination probably already covered all the possibilities in detail, plus some. “Yeah. Your time frame sounds about right. If the aim is murder, they usually kill the victim in the first twenty-four hours, then look for someplace to leave the body. Ideally somewhere it won’t be detected for as long as possible. But there are other possibilities in cases like this. Young girls have been taken for nonmurderous reasons. Think of that guy Castro, from Cleveland. He kidnapped three different women over a couple of years. Held them for over a decade. You just never know.”
He debated sharing the next bit of information but figured she needed to be a part of this. She’d probably follow him anyway. “I’ve contacted someone. An analyst of sorts, who is pulling some information together for me. We’re meeting in the morning to go over it.”
She sat straighter. “I’m coming with you.”
“Figured as much.”
